“Oh Maker, I was so scared… I thought I’d never see you again.”
I kiss her cheek. “No way, baby. I told you when we first met, I was trying to be a good guy," I tell her.
"You are a good guy. You're the best guy, and Maker, I love you. I love you so much, and I'm sorry for telling you to go. I was scared, scared of loving you and losing you and being left alone. But after everything that happened today, I felt like life was slipping away and all I could think was how much I would regret not having told you how I truly feel. I love you, Maker, with all that I am. If you'll have me, I'm yours."
"Oh, baby," I say, "you're mine now and forever." I kiss her then, long and hard, the whole way back home to Riverside. Her brothers are scared, everyone in town is terrified of the town sweetheart being kidnapped, held for ransom.
"You're my hero," Marley says. She kisses me again, and my heart seems to expand in ways I never thought possible. I thought I was the villain of this story, thought I was unredeemable, that I'd spend the rest of my life paying for what I'd done.
But it turns out, that's not how all stories end. Because in this one, the bad guy turns good. And in the end, he gets the girl.
Epilogue 1
Marley
One year later…
I wake up with a smile on my face. I got an incredible eight hours of sleep last night, but I groan, feeling the weight of my breasts. They're so full and heavy. I immediately sit up in bed, thinking of Dawn. At five months old, the girl is always hungry.
But I don't need to leave the bed to get to her. Maker is carrying her to me.
"Get back in bed, Marley. I think if you feed her, she'll sleep for a few more hours."
I look over at the clock. It's only 5:30. "Did you get her in the middle of the night?" I ask as I cradle our daughter in my arms, offering her breakfast.
"You needed your sleep," he says, getting into bed next to me. He kisses me softly. "You looked so peaceful and you weren't stirring at all when she woke up."
"Did she fuss much?"
"Nah, she took the bottle like a champ at midnight and at three."
I laugh softly. "Oh my God, this girl is such a terrible sleeper." I lean down, kissing her head, breathing in her perfect baby smell. "But I wouldn't trade her for the world."
"Me neither. And since we don't have day jobs, I'm telling you I can help with her at night — you need your beauty rest."
"What are you trying to say?"
He chuckles. "I'm saying you're a morning person, but that is only true if you've gotten at least eight hours of sleep the night before."
I laugh, thinking he's right. "I feel like a new woman," I say. When Dawn finishes nursing, Maker takes her from me, burping her.
"I'm going to change her and then try to get her back to bed. Okay?"
I nod, "Okay." Stretching down the bed, my whole body feels warm, awake, in a way I haven't felt in a really long time. "Don't take too long," I say. "I'm really feeling like a morning person today."
Maker's eyebrows rise. "Is that so?" He’s smiling as he walks out of the room.
We named our daughter Dawn. We thought, since we're both morning people, it was the perfect name. But not only that, she is our fresh start. Our beginning.
And when she came into the world, Maker and I were on solid ground, had already been putting down roots for six months in this beautiful cabin he built for us. It’s nestled in the woods, facing the water. Pine trees surround us. My literal dream come true.
He'd been building this place for me when we were apart. He knew my heart in ways I hadn't even shared because Maker was made for me and I was made for him — and Dawn, she's the most beautiful gift we could have ever received.
I pull off my panties and nursing tank in anticipation of my husband’s return. I’m smiling as I listen to the lyrics of the lullaby Maker is singing to his little girl.
When he comes back in the room, my whole heart is bursting with love for him, gratitude and desire. He must see it in my eyes. The early morning sunlight is filtering through the window. The lights are off. The house is quiet.
"Come here, baby," I say, drawing him to bed.
He moves on top of me, his strong body and firm chest leaning over me and making me feel safe and beautiful, like I'm his. He kisses me softly and I wrap my arms around him. My legs too.
"God, someone woke up in a good mood. I'm definitely taking over the night shift from here on out."
I laugh. "Fine by me," I say, "especially if our days always start like this."
He growls in my ear, "You're so fucking sexy."
I feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. Sure, I have a little bit more weight on my hips and my backside since the baby, Maker likes it — I know he does because he can't keep his hands off of me. And to be honest, I can't keep my hands off of him either.
His cock is hard and he fills me up. And I remember our first night together on his boat. When he made me his, in ways neither of us were quite prepared for.
"Oh, you feel so good," I moan as he moves inside of me, against me.
"You
